I don't care what they say
by jaiden silver rose
Summary: Alec and Magnus get back together, the Clave has always disapproved but it turns out they're not the only ones. Set after CoLS (Malec, Sizzy and Clace but mostly Malec)
1. Chapter 1

"Do we have to?" Alec whined as Izzy pushed him through the door of the institute and into the cold winter air.

"What if _he's_ there?" Alec put emphasis on the he's. He hadn't uttered his ex-boyfriends name since that day in the subway. Izzy turned and stared her brother straight in the eyes.

"I hope he is," Alec went to turn back but Izzy stopped him, "then maybe the two of you will stop acting like children and get back together," Alec scowled and shook his head.

"It's too late…Iz I messed up, I don't deserve him." He started walking up the path the party was only a few blocks away.

"Alec," Izzy followed him, her red heals clicking "he loves you and I know you still love him, you'll sort this out."

Alec heard but didn't respond, Izzy sighed as they continued to walk in silence.

"There's Simon," Izzy said waving out to him, Alec saw him grin and walk up to his sister, she hugged him tightly before placing a light kiss on his lips, he bent his head down as if to deepen it but laughed lightly as she pulled away. He kissed her on the tip of her nose before sliding an arm casually across her shoulders and hitting Alec lightly on the arm.

"Long time no see," Simon said and Alec raised both his eyebrows and Izzy jabbed him in the ribs "I mean, it's good to see you." He corrected. Alec grunted and turned to carry on walking. Simon looked at his girlfriend with a questioning gaze,

"Don't worry," she whispered out of Alec's ear shot. They carried on walking, Alec a little ahead of them, whilst taking quietly to each other,

"So what's the deal with this party?"

"It's for a friend of Luke's, a werewolf," Izzy started and Simon nodded "And loads of downworlders are gonna be there, and he invited us to how unity or something." She rushed the last part.

"Also if any vampires show up he wants us to deal with them," Alec added dryly. Izzy shot him a fiery glare as Simon looked scared,

"Nicely phrased," she said her voice thick with sarcasm she turned to Simon "You'll be fine, you're my plus one, if anyone's got a problem they can come to me." She kissed him quickly on the cheek and his arm tightened around her shoulders.

"We're here," Alec said stopping outside a closed shop, the shutters were down but Alec opened the door. Once they'd crossed the threshold the party became visible, loud music and lots of people; werewolves, fairies and warlocks they saw Jordan and Maia dancing together. The walls danced with light and there was a long table set against one wall holding all manner of food and drink. Simon sniffed.

"Meh… no blood." Izzy turned to him worried

"If you need…"

"No Izzy… I'm fine," he swallowed "not here anyway."

"Simon," the worry was still in her voice.

"Izzy, trust me," his arm dropped to take her hand and he drew it to his lips and kissed it softly

"I do," she smiled.

"Over there," Alec, whose eyes had been searching the room, pointed at Jace and Clary.

Jace was sat on a chair whereas Clary was perched on his knee, the couple were talking and Jace as playing with the morgernstien ring that hung from her neck. As they made their way over Alec saw Clary laugh and kiss Jace but he moved back after a second, _the fire_, Alec thought.

"See," Izzy whispered in his ear "some people have real problems,"

"My mortality is a problem," he hissed. Izzy looked like she might say something but Simon beat her to it,

"Only if you let it be," Alec opened his mouth but was interrupted.

"Hey when you get here?" Jace smiled at them as Clary hoped of his knee and went to embrace Simon and Izzy. Alec placed to hands on his parabatai's covered shoulders as he stood up.

"How are you?" he said solemnly, Jace had just got back from Idris, he was looking for an answer to his situation, he'd insisted on going alone to stay with their dad, after two weeks he returned and went straight to Clary, Alec hated to admit he'd really missed him.

"Me?" Jace broke into a cocky grin, "I'm on fire, mate!" Alec laughed lightly

"No luck?"

"They're looking into it." His face turned serious "what about you?" Alec raised his eyebrows "Spoken to sparkles yet?" Alec tensed up and his face fell.

"Just don't." His voice was thick, tears pricked to his eyes and he started to walk off.

"Alec...wait," but he ignored him.

"Let him be," it was Izzy she quickly hugged him "Clary told me what happened in Idris, I'm sorry."

"Hey, its fine, I'm still gorgeous," he laughed but Izzy wasn't paying attention she was looking towards the door.

"Magnus."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So I did the first chapter and here's the second, hope you like it please review

Disclaimer: Cassandra Clare owns mortal instruments….. Sadly not me.

She was right; there he stood electric blue sparkling trousers with a matching suit jacket but no shirt so it hung open to reveal his tanned chest which, unsurprisingly, was covered in glitter. His hair was up in his signature purple spikes. He had a female warlock on each arm both stunningly beautiful.

The first was a tall brunette with long glossy waves that hung to half way down her back. She wore a short red dress it was simple yet stylish, a tight bodice with a floaty soft skirt. She had a soft heart shaped face and full red lips her eyes were big and almond shaped with perfectly arched brows. Behind her her warlock mark was visible; a long slender tail that stood up behind her in an 's' shape and she walked it moved. On his other arm was a skinnier blonde with shorter straighter hair and lilac skin. She had a harsher more angular face. She wore a short green sparkling bodycon that brought out her green eyes.

"Wow, he's certainly moved on," Jace's eyes were wide with shock.

"Get. Alec. Out." Izzy said through gritted teeth.

"Yeah," Clary interjected "he doesn't need to see this." She glared at Magnus even though he hadn't spotted them yet. Jae walked over to Alec who he had spotted was talking to Luke about weapons whilst Jocelyn was in deep conversation with a werewolf about wedding plans.

"Alec, sorry Luke, we have to go,"

"What? Why?" he started staring round.

"Emergency at the institute," Jace grabbed Alec's arm and started to drag him towards the door but it was too late he'd spotted him, Alec's face broke and he started to shake.

"Of course there is," he hissed in anger as he shoved Jae off and marched towards Magnus.

"Two weeks!" Magnus' cat eyes met with Alec's blue ones "Two weeks for you to move on."

"Alec," Magnus said in a broken whisper

"You're Alec?" The brunette said her voice was soft and kind "it isn't what you think," she continued and the blonde rolled her eyes.

"No of course not," Alec ran at Magnus but the arms of Jace and Luke held him back.

"She's telling the truth," Magnus started but was cut off surprisingly by Izzy

"Shut up Magnus you've done enough." She glared at him "come on Alec lets go," Tears were spilling out of Alec's eyes as he reached for Izzy's outstretched hand but Magnus had other ideas.

"No! I have to talk to you." He grabbed Alec's hand and pulled him towards the door. The others rushed to follow but Simon stopped them,

"Let them talk." They turned and stared at him but Clary nodded.

"He's right they need to sort this out." She stared at Jace who sighed.

"Well if Simon says then I guess we have to."

Everyone was staring now, whispering among themselves wanting to know what was going on. Izzy was the first to regain her composure she took Simons hand and stared at the two warlocks, pulling a face as stern as her mothers.

"So who are you two?"

Magnus shoved Alec down the first back alley he saw. Alec was breathing hard trying to compose himself he wiped away the tear and stared up at Magnus his voice strong.

"If you lay a finger on me Jace and Izzy will kill you."

"I'd never do that," Ale looked at him surprised. He'd expected a lecture or anger on how they were over and he was allowed to move on but instead he was met with the most innocence Alec had ever seen in him. He watched his cat eyes fill with tears.

"I love you Alexander,"

"You left me," Alec's voice remained cold.

"That was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"You left me," he repeated voice breaking slightly now "alone in the substation after I begged you for a second chance."

Magnus stepped closer to the shadow hunter, his hand swept a tear off his cheek and then ran under his chin which he tilted up and gazed into Alec blue eyes.

"I've been a mess, the girls are just old friends of mine, I've known them since they were babies and I helped their adopted mother bring them up. They've been visiting and they saw the invitation, I didn't want to go but they forced me saying I had to get back to normal. But Alexander I can't be normal without you," His face was closer now their noses touching.

"Old friends?" Alec said accusingly but stayed still he could feel Magnus's breathe on his face it sent a familiar tingle down his spine. But Magnus stepped back a disgusted look on his face.

"Alexander they're like sisters to me, I would never… I could never," but Alec cut him off.

"Well it's not as if you ever mentioned them, so what am I meant to think?"

"I never mentioned them because they never came up,"

"Yeah so did a lot of things," Magnus took a step closer noticing the hurt in his voice.

"You begged me at that substation for a second chance now I'm begging you for one please I know I've hurt you but I need you..." Alec' noticing the desperation in his words, closed the space between them and kissed him full on the mouth, Magnus reacted instantly. His hand moved to Alec's hair pulling him closer as his tongue slid into the shadow hunter's mouth, Alec moaned softly and he laced his hands over Magnus's bare torso, under the jacket and round to his back. The jackets silk lining was soft on the back of his hands. He used his weight to push Magnus up against the alley's wall. The warlock removed one hand from Alec's hair and slid it under his black T-shirt his hand cool on the boys back, he broke the kiss to trail small ones down his neck causing Alec to moan in his ear.

"I love you, always have, always will," Magnus drew back and stared him in the eye.

"Really?"

"Of course." Magnus pulled him into a tight hug he breathed in Alec's familiar scent.

"Come with me,"

"Anywhere." Magnus took Alec's hand and pulled him into the night.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: don't know how often I'm going to upload new chapters but I'll try to be regular.

So here's chapter 3 enjoy

"My name's Nixie Long and this," the tailed warlock said gesturing to the blonde "is my sister, Diantai."

"Wow, you don't look like sisters at all, sorry," Izzy held out a hand to Nixie "Isabelle Lightwood."

Nixie shook it whereas Diantai just stared at her looking as if she really wasn't interested in all the pleasantries so her sister continued.

"Nice to meet you, and no were not really related, are parents abandoned us a birth, because we're different so Seraphena took us in and raised us and we met Magnus when we were young he helped us to control our powers and we've always tried to stay in touch."

"But you and him were never, like, a couple," Clary said looking uncertainly at them,

"Hell no, he's like an older brother we've known him nearly 400yrs, he's always been there when we need him." Nixie said quickly

"I'm Clary by the way." She smiled and Diantai laughed

"We know who you are, you're Valentine's daughter, you're the one who makes the runes, you're the short one and you're with Jace," Diantai turned to Jace her eyes glowing as she saw there shocked faces, "You're Jace the cocky one, Alec's adopted brother and parabatai, the one with the fire. And your Izzy, Alec's little sister, the one with the fashion sense."

"Really that's all I am," Izzy interrupted but was ignored as Diantai turned to Simon.

"And you're Sydney, Izzy's boyfriend and the daylighter."

"It's Simon." He replied sighing

"How did you know all that?"

"Oh you know only 3 days listening to Magnus moan none stop about how much he misses his darling Alexander and wishes he wasn't such a fool and all the adventures they'd had together over the previous months with all his annoying friends and how…"

"Diantai!" Nixie shouted at her sister, who sighed and stormed off, "Sorry she can be a little anti-social." She smiled at them and walked after her sister.

"Well that was interesting," Simon said and took Izzy hand "Let dance."

They reached Magnus's apartment quickly as they were practically running down the street. Magnus bounded up the stairs pulling Alec with him. As Magnus fumbled for his keys Alec noted his neighbours having yet another argument. Once he opened the door and led Alec in, Alec gasped. He was used to Magnus's apartment changing every time he came by, but now it was identical to when Alec had stopped by to drop off his key. The same black leather sofas with red and grey cushions, grey curtains still hung down the tall windows and silver and red candles were still dotted around the place. The only difference was the red vase that stood up on the mantel piece was now full of red and white roses and in the corner a bin was full of takeout containers. The girls must have cleaned for him as Magnus would just change the room if it got dirty. Magnus now followed his gaze to the bin.

"Oh sorry," He raised a hand to click it away but instead Alec took it in his and shoved Magnus up against the door they'd just come through and was kissing him passionately his hands removed the warlock's jacket and stared to explore his torso, Magnus broke the kiss to remove Alec's t-shirt. They then made their way through to the main bedroom where they stood together at the foot of Magnus's bed. Magnus looked straight into the boy's eyes.

"Are you sure?"

Alec didn't answer, instead he hooked his fingers in the belt loops of Magnus's sparkling trousers and pulled him down on top of him.

"So where'd you suppose Magnus and that Alec got to?" Nixie said to her sister as they climbed the stairs to his apartment.

"Ha, he seemed really angry probably had some huge domestic and now Mags will be drowning his sorrows in some dodgy bar," she laughed lightly as she took Magnus's spare key out of her clutch. Nixie walked in first and laughed as she picked up Magnus's discarded Jacket.

"Lazy ass, can't even…" she stopped on seeing the black T-shirt Diantai was now holding up with a disgusted look on her face.

"Alec's." they said in unison.

Alec lay flat on his back in Magnus's bed. The covers stopped at the base of his torso, revealing his runed chest, which Magnus, who lay on his side next to Alec with his head propped up with one arm, was running his free hand up and down, tracing the runes absent mindidly. Instead he was concentrating on the rise and fall of Alec's chest.

"So," said Alec on a large exhale, moving his arms from his sides so they were held together across his stomach causing Magnus to start tracing the runes on his arms. "Does this mean we're back on then?" Magnus chuckled as he looked at Alec's questioning eyes.

"Yes, daring I believe it does."

"It has to be different this time, we need to talk more, this is so new to me." Magnus shifted his weight so his head hit the pillow next to Alec's, one hand started to play with Alec's, stroking the lightwood family ring whilst the other cupped and turned his face so their foreheads touched.

"Alexander, I'll tell you anything you want to know, just don't judge me on my past because your my future."

"Deal." Alec turned his whole body so it was pressed against Magnus's one arm wrapped around his waist whilst the other snaked round the warlock's neck. Then he kissed him softly and slowly trying to put everything he wanted to say into it. Earlier had been an explosion of passion but this was different somehow more magical, like they were in their own bubble that nothing could break, he'd missed this most, not to say he hadn't missed the other tuff but this as more than sex. They'd spent whole evenings doing this before, lying chest to chest, clothed or naked just kissing speaking some secret language only they understood.

Then they heard the door open and voices.

"By the angel!" Alec jumped away,

"Calm down it's just the girls." Magnus said grabbing Alec's hands as he tried to get up.

"They have a key?"

"Yeah," He replied innocently.

"Oh well I should go, the others will be worried." Alec turned to put his boxers on. Magnus walked round his already on, and passed Alec a blue silk dressing gown.

"Hey, come meet them."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: sorry I didn't upload yesterday I was travelling all evening. But here's the next chapter. Enjoy

"Ugh, we should have guessed," Diantai said with a look off disgust still on her face.

"I think its sweet, he's really missed him."

"Yeah you would,"

"Hey," Nixie smiled at her sister "they love each other surely even you could see that?" Diantai's face turned to stone.

"I saw that _boy_ looked pretty angry, like he could kill, I don't call that love,"

"Well I think they'll be perfect together this time,"

"Always the optimist, I'm sure that's just how the Alliance will see it."

"Screw the Alliance." Magnus had just walked in through his bedroom door, Alec hot on his heels, he shot a cold glare at Diantai, who just smiled back.

"Rather you than me."

"Diantai be nice," Nixie said to her sister before turning to Alec and smiling, "you don't want Alec to think bad of us do you?" Alec smiled slightly but looked quite embarrassed.

"I don't care what he thinks." Said Diantai looking away from him. Alec frowned and slid his hand into Magnus's.

"What have the alliance got to do with this?" he said indicating to their linked hands. He'd learnt about the Alliance in training, it was the warlock's equivalent to the Clave, it as one of their representatives who signed the accords, but it was optional to join not all warlocks did but you were still punished if you broke the accords. Alec had only ever killed Warlocks not in the Alliance.

"You know of the Alliance?" Diantai said looking back now impressed.

"I'm a shadow hunter, not a mundane." Alec snapped back

"They don't know about us," Magnus aid moving on, he sat down on one of the sofas, Alec next to him and the girls opposite on the other sofa, which had swung round to face them at a snap of Nixie's fingers.

"For how long?" Diantai's voice was more serious but softer with a hint of concern.

"Depends, are you gonna tell them?" his at eyes cold and wide.

"Mags, I love you like a brother, I could never do that to you,"

"Good," Magnus's voice was still in the same monotone.

"Wait, I don't get it I thought you were open about your sexuality?" Alec said looking to Magnus who dropped his head avoiding his gaze.

"That's not the problem." He mumbled his head now in his hands. Alec put his head against the warlock's shoulder a whispered,

"What is it then?"

Magnus stayed still and, to all their surprise it was Nixie who responded.

"Your mortality. They don't like us to have relationships with mortals, they think it affects our judgement," her face looked sad as if remembering a bad memory but only for a moment, then she smiled slightly, "but if your work is not affected then they won't have a problem." Magnus sat up now his face full of relief until he turned to Diantai and scowled,

"Why did you go and get us worried like that? My relationship with Alec doesn't affect my job."

"I was only looking out for you." She looked up at him sorrow in her eyes.

"Well don't," Magnus's voice was cold again and Diantai sighed and stood up and walked away down the hall and entered one of the spare bedrooms. Nixie glared at him now.

"She's only looking out for you, you know how she is, and she probably didn't know about the loophole in fact I don't think you did either." Magnus looked at her before standing up, he was still only wearing boxers, and walked over to her, bent down and kissed her on the cheek before turning back around and extending a hand out to Alec,

"Let's go to bed it's late." Alec took his hand and waved goodnight to Nixie, who smiled as they left her alone on the sofa.

Entering the room Alec turned to Magnus who was climbing in to bed.

"Well tails seemed nice but Diantai is umm…"

"It's Nixie, and yeah Diantai's got good reason to hate shadow hunters," Magnus pulled back the covers as Alec climbed in,

"Why?" he replied snuggling into him.

"I'll tell you another time, it's late and I'm tired."

"Magnus?" Alec said in a questioning tone,

"Yeah," he replied lazily

"I want you to have this," Alec slipped the Lightwood ring off his finger and placed it in Magnus's palm.

"Alexander, I can't take this," he said examining it and trying to pass it back.

"You can, look it's a mundane thing, they exchange rings when they get married, but the clave would never allow us to and I don't trust this Alliance. So I want you to have this to show that we're forever." He slid the ring on his left ring finger.

"I love you." Magnus's voice was thick with tear as he kissed Alec's head.

"Where the hell is he?" Jace said to Izzy as they entered the institute. The others had gone home after the party, Alec had never returned so Izzy had insisted he would have come back here if the conversation had gone badly.

"Jace, he'll be fine, he can look after himself," Izzy said as they walked to the elevator.

"I know, I just… worry I guess."

"Jace I know you spoke with Clary but do you want to talk about what happened in Idris?"

"My condition is not a priority, they said they would look into curing it if I told them where Sebastian is, they still think I'm with him, in fact had there been a different Consul I think they might have even stripped me of my marks, however luckily he sided in my favour but said that once they'd found Sebastian they would look into finding a cure." Izzy turned to face him in the small elevator,

"I'm sorry," she said nothing more but her tone said it all, not pity or anger just understanding as she placed a hand on his sleeve.

"And your dad, he stood there and acted like he didn't even know me," they were out of the elevator now and standing outside Jace's room.

"We will sort this Jace I promise it'll work out fine, as for dad, we'll be having words." Her voice turned menacing and Jace smiled and walked into his room.

"Night Iz." He walked up to his window that overlooked the street there was no sign of Alec. He sat down on the edge of his bed and thought through his parabatai rune.

_He's safe, he's happy._

Jace smiled and got ready for bed.


	5. Chapter 5

Alec's eyes fluttered open, he was still locked in Magnus's warm embrace. He looked at the clock it was 3 am it was then he realised why he'd awoken, his mouth was as dry as sand. He silently removed himself from his boyfriend's arms and put the dressing gown back on. As he left the room and started to make his way to the kitchen he noticed the silhouette of someone sitting on the sofa, he walked over slowly before noticing it was Nixie still sat in the same place as when he and Magnus had gone to bed.

"Bit late isn't it?" he said tapping her lightly on the shoulder. She turned her head sharply and smiled at him,

"I could ask you the same thing," her voice, Alec noted now was soft and almost musical as if she were singing without a rhythm or tune. Completely different to her sister's harsh tone.

"I was thirsty," as he said this she smiled gain and lightly snapped her fingers, at this motion a small bottle of water appeared on the coffee table in front of her. "Thanks." He opened the bottle and drained it in one, "so what's your excuse?"

"I don't sleep." She replied simply

"What not ever?" Alec sounded surprised he had never encountered a downworlders who didn't sleep, and he had met many.

"Well I do on occasion, but tonight's not one of them," there was a hint of mystery in her voice which Alec picked up on.

"You've lost me?"

"I'm a Seer, well the daughter of a seer demon, I only sleep after I get a premonition, which is rarely." Alec too the seat next to her and nodded.

"Right, so is that what Diantai can do as well?"

"No we have different birth parents, we were brought up by a mundane woman who found us both abandoned, separately, and decided to raise us secretly as her own, when we were still babies Magnus arrived sent by the Alliance to make sure we were in safe hands, he managed to hide our marks from mundanes and would return every few years to check on our progress. It was then he discovered Diantai's power,"

"Which is?" his voice was interested and engaged.

"She can create very powerful illusions, like glamour, but we are yet to find someone who can see through it, these can be physical sight or mental so basically she could project an image into your mind, change your memories, it would be a very dangerous power in the wrong hands." She looked at him sternly as if sending him a warning. "Don't always trust your eyes when she's around, I love her but she does like to cause trouble," Alec nodded again.

"Magnus said she had good reason to hate shadow hunters, I was wondering what that was?" she sighed and turned away.

"What you have to understand about that is that everyone has their own reasons for everything they believe and don't believe, she has her reasons for hating your kind just as I have my reasons for believing that you and Magnus are somehow made to be together." Alec looked at her surprised but she didn't turn round. He did, however, notice her playing with a thin chain around her neck, it was so simple he hadn't noticed it before but it was long and the pendant was hidden somewhere down the front of her dress, which she was still wearing.

"What reasons are they?" he asked slowly, but Nixie didn't respond, "Nixie?" just then she fell off the sofa on to her back on the floor, her eyes wide but clouded over so much so her irises were barely visible.

Jace woke with a start; he looked to his clock, 3:15. He jumped out of bed with a sudden surge of energy and made his way down the hall to Alec's room, opening the door a crack he found the bed still made and empty. He must be staying at Magnus's. He walked back to his room and sat down on the edge of his bed and thought back through his parabatai rune. _He's scared, he' in trouble. _On feeling this he went to Izzy's room which, to Jace's horror, was also empty. But she'd come back with him, he thought as he ran through the institute looking for her but he found nothing not even a note. Heading back to his room he picked up his stele and some seraph blades before carefully drawing Clary's portal rune on the wall. Jumping through it he landed on Clary's bedroom floor, shocking her awake.

"Jace!" she gasped "What are you doing her? If my mum or Luke hears you…" Jace never found out what Jocelyn or Luke would have done, even though he had pretty good idea, because he had more to worry about.

"Alec's in trouble and I can't Izzy and I didn't want to wake Marsye, we need to get to Magnus's, I swear that's where he is, the angel if he's hurt him…"

"I know where Izzy is,"

"What, where?"

"Simon's," she said it as if it were the most obvious thing ever, "she sneaks out most nights, did she not tell you?"

"No, she didn't." he sounded slightly annoyed but Clary was already texting Simon for him and Izzy to get to Magnus's, meanwhile Jace drew the portal rune again.

Simon woke as his phone buzzed; he read it through twice before shaking a sleeping Izzy awake. It was a shame, Simon thought, she looked so peaceful tucked up in his covers her hair spread out along the pillow behind her as she slept on her side.

"Hey, beautiful," he said softy as her eyes fluttered open like a butterfly about to take off.

"What the hell Simon!" she groaned clearly not impressed at her boyfriend, who tried not to laugh at her frown, "What time is it?"

"3:30, Clary texted, we need to meet her and Jace at Magnus's, I think something's happened to Alec." On hearing this she jumped up and threw Simon's t-shirt off and pulled on her own cloths, wrapped her whip around her wrist and grabbed her stele. She was already starting the portal rune as Simon got out of the bed.


	6. Chapter 6

Jace and Clary landed outside Magnus's door, and he banged loudly on it.

"Magnus Bane let us in!" Magnus opened the door and sighed, it was obvious he was upset despite him trying to hide it,

"Jace, Clarissa a pleasure as always." He led them through to the living room.

Alec was sat one of the sofas, his legs were pulled into his chest and his arms hugged them whilst his face was hidden behind them. Nixie was staring off into space sat next to him, she appeared not to notice their arrival instead she stayed staring as if she was asleep with her eyes open and sat upright. Diantai sat at her feet protectively like a guard dog, her eyes followed Jace and Clary as they walked over. After closing the door Magnus walked and sat on the arm of the sofa his arm wrapped around Alec. Clary sat down on the Sofa opposite whilst Jace stood in front of and looked down at his parabatai.

"Alec, what's wrong," the boy raised his head to stare Jace in the eyes. Jace had expected to see tears in his eyes put instead was met by a ghostly pale empty face as if someone had sucked the hope out of him leaving behind an empty shell.

"We're going to die," Jace looked taken aback and Clary's eyes shot to meet Magnus's, who nodded solemnly.

"Nixie saw it in a vision," at hearing her name Nixie's face turned to Magnus's her voice was broken as if it was the first time she'd spoken in a thousand years.

"Alec was dead," the boy flinched on hearing this but Nixie carried on, "and Magnus was fighting the Alliance leaders whilst the guards were fighting Jace and Izzy,"

"What!" everyone turned to see Izzy who had just entered without knocking, a nervous Simon walked in behind her. Alec stood up and ran the length of the room to embrace his sister, wrapping her in a tight protective embrace which she fiercely returned.

"We weren't winning and then everything faded." Nixie continued once Izzy and Simon had been filled in.

"Is it definite?" Clary asked shyly, it was the first thing she'd said since her arrival. To their surprise it was the purple warlock who answered her.

"No, but if we do not act soon then it will be, I suggest that we…" but Diantai was cut off by Magnus.

"In the morning, I think we all need a bit of sleep we can discuss this in the morning, good night." Alec looked gratefully at him and took his out stretched hand as they stood up to make leave.

"Magnus, the longer we leave this.." but she was cut off again,

"I said goodnight."

"Magnus, we want to stay," Izzy said gesturing to herself, Simon and Jace.

"Of course, Izzy, Simon the third guest room is all made up, Clary you should go home your mother will worry and Jace," he snapped his fingers sharply and a pile of duvets and pillows landed on the sofa Clary and Simon had just risen from, "I hope the Sofa's alright for you?" without waiting for a response he marched into his room Alec in toe and closed the door quickly.

"Good night," Nixie said standing with help from her sister she made her way to the first of the guest rooms where Diantai left her to enter the one next door.

"Well, I'll come back in the morning once I've told mum and Luke. Good night Jace." She quickly kissed Jace and nodded to Simon and Izzy before leaving.

"What are we gonna do?" Izzy said turning to Simon fearfully with tears in her eyes.

"We're going to go to sleep and talk about this in the morning," he hugged her to his chest kissing her head "team good can't lose."

"This isn't a game." Jace said annoyed

"I know."

Meanwhile Alec and Magnus were holding each other tightly in their bed. The shadow hunter's head in the crook of the warlock's neck. Magnus ran his fingers through Alec's soft hair and cooed quietly.

"It'll be alright, I won't let anything hurt you, ever, I promise." Alec pressed his lips to Magnus's jawline on hearing this and so Magnus tilted his head down so their lips met. It was quick and brief but meaning full. They lay there then, in silence, they didn't need to talk. The minutes passed they drifted in and out of consciousness. The last thing Magnus heard was Alec' voice almost unhearable,

"I know."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: thinking I might try to upload once or twice a week depending on how busy I am, please review it lets me know if you like what I'm doing. **

Diantai walked her sister to her room. Nixie nodded and entered whilst she continued to the second door, her room. Well she saw it as her room as Magnus had arranged it just the way she liked it as soon as he'd heard they were coming. She guessed he'd had nothing else to do or wanted a distraction none the less it was perfect. When they were children Seraphena had taught them to respect peoples personal spaces but also that you could tell a lot about person from the way they kept their bedroom, ' A persons space mirrors them' she'd always said and had been right Diantai's room was a self-portrait. The walls were a pale lilac; identical to her skin tone, upon them were framed photos and paintings of forests, fields, and jungles. Most of these were done by her or Nixie on their travels whilst one or two Magnus had chosen from his collection of Clary's mothers pieces. Her favourite was up there, holding a central position above her bed, a painting she had done back where she had set up home in New Zealand, without Nixie who had favoured the south west of England. It was a large field expanding as far as the eye could see, the grass a thousand shades of green, done in oil on canvas each brush stroke held a memory, in the centre a boy lay on his back, hands crossed above his head but his legs were clearly that of a goats, staring up at the sunset above. She walked up to it now running her fingers over the figure, something she did every time she passed it, as she uttered under her breath '_Sam'_. The rest of the room had the same green and lilac theme and all the furniture was a dark mahogany. The bed spread was emerald silk with lot of pillows, around the four posts hung lilac lace curtains which, after changing into a set of soft cotton shorts and vest, she pulled around herself. Snapping her fingers the fairy lights that were wrapped around the high curtain rail, from which hung a set of emerald silk curtain matching the bedspread, turned off.

She lay awake then, the ache in her heart increased and before she knew it she was overcome with guilt, how could she, to Nixie her sister, not biologically but in her heat, and Magnus the man who would do anything for them, the only family she had left. _Could this man, well no more than a boy, really do the things he says? But if there was a chance, then she had to for him._ She looked again to the picture on the opposite wall. _Yes she did._

Climbing out of the bed she squinted her eyes, when she opened them everything was gone, the room was bare. Her illusions amazed even her sometimes. She lay down on the cold hard-wood floor now and eventually sleep took her.

Magnus woke before Alec, which was rare though, given the circumstances, not surprising. He lay there for a few minutes admiring the sleeping form. Alec had a tendency to remain motionless when he slept. Whenever they had shared a bed he had fallen asleep and woken in the same position, were as Magnus would toss and turn Alec didn't. He would have thought him dead if it wasn't for the slow rise and fall of his chest. Magnus carefully removed himself as to not wake his partner, although that was another thing about Alec, when he slept he slept deep. Magnus nearly laughed thinking of that, how perfect they fit together. The light sleeper who moved a lot and the deep sleeper who lay and still as a millpond. Once washed and dressed he made his way out to the living room, Jace lay sprawled across the couch still, knotted up in the duvet. Magnus moved passed him silently and stopped outside the first guest room. He could hear the faint sound of a piano, he had sound proofed her room because he knew of her tendency to play the piano all night sometimes, but was surprised she was this morning as she would have slept the remaining night after her premonition.

Nixie's eye's fluttered open and she sat up, looking around her white room. Magnus had made it up just the way she liked it, everything was white, from the walls to the wardrobe (though inside hung a rainbow of colour) and the only thing that wasn't white was the large black grand piano in the corner. She stood up now and walked over to it, just in the white silk nightie she'd thrown on the night before. Her hair hung loose down her back and her tail stuck through the hole she makes through all her garments. She sat on the stool and lifted the lid allowing her fingers to dance over the keys whilst the soft tune started. It was only when she stopped and started playing a more modern song did she notice Magnus standing leaning against the back of her door. She stopped playing and turned to face him fully.

"Hey,"

"Coldplay?" he asked raising an eyebrow,

"The scientist, I'm learning some modern stuff,"

"It sounded good to me," He snapped his fingers and two cups of coffee appeared one in front of him the other on top of the piano, "how is your head?" Nixie reached up to rub her forehead and frowned. Normally after a premonition she would wake up with a feeling she could only ever describe as a massive hang over, they'd reached the conclusion that this was because having the premonition drew on all of her magic energy and left her drained, this was also what caused her to sleep afterwards. But today she felt nothing.

"I feel fine." Magnus looked worried and walked over to her, his hands outstretched; scanning her to see if something was wrong, coming to the conclusion that nothing was he frowned as well.

"Weird."

Nixie took a sip of her coffee before returning to the piano and starting to play, clocks this time. As she did this her tail held the cup as she sipped at it. Magnus, showing no desire to leave came and sat next to her on the wide stool and smiled listening intently, till the song ended.

"You always were good at that," she smiled at him,

"You never were, I remember you playing it so badly Seraphena threatened to throw you out," he smiled remembering. He started looking round the room admiring his handy work she guested but instead he said,

"Do you know why mundane brides wear white?"

"Because they're supposed to be virgins, although I think that rules disappeared now." She looked confused but Magnus just laughed.

"I was going to say to show purity, because that's what I see when I see you and I thought that's why you like your room to be white, to show you are pure,"

"I'm not though am I? I'm a cross breed, half demon, so bad my mother threw me off a cliff, you know the story, I'm evil by nature. I like white because I think it enhances the good in me." Magnus stared at her surprised.

"You think your evil? Does that mean you think I am too and Diantai?"

"I think we work hard not to be and Diantai doesn't always get it right."

" well listen to me when I tell you there is no one I know who has a purer heart than you, you radiate kindness, I used to worry that you'd get taken advantage of, but your strong and no fool,"

"Why are you telling me this?" Nixie's eyes watched him as she saw his cat eyes water.

"Because I need you to know that if something happens to me there is no one I'd trust more with protecting the people I love, no one." His voice was breaking and the tears were spilling over.

"Magnus, we'll sort this, nothing's going to happen, and when the others are up we can discuss this and…" Magnus cut her off,

"I'm going to the Alliance, now."

**A/N: okay so this was sort of a filler chapter, so you could learn more about the girls and Magnus's relationship with them. I own nothing except Nixie and Diantai.**


	8. Chapter 8

"No you're not." Nixie said struggling to keep her voice quiet as she followed Magnus out of the room but Jace was already awake and staring wide eyed at them. They ignored him.

"Nixie I have to if I go alone then worst case they kill me and leave Alec out of this, if what you saw is true then there is no where we can hide, it's got to be me who tells them, they may listen."

"You're doing what?!" Jace shouted causing them to turn to him,

"None of your business blondie,"

"He's going to the Alliance; he wants to get himself killed." Nixie said bending round Magnus to tell Jace. Jace rose to his feet and stared Magnus in the eye.

"What dose Alec say?"

"He's asleep, if I return then he'll be safe, and if I don't…"

"Then I'll have to tell him, he was going to tell you but you were asleep, no I won't do that not even for you, I may not know him but I know enough to know that would break him."

"She's right," they all spun round to see Alec watching them fully dressed and awake. Jace looked down, Nixie looked smug and Magnus stood there dumb founded. "Can you leave us?" Nixie nodded and turned around pulling Jace with her. Then they were alone. Magnus sat down on the sofa snapping Jace's bedding away, he looked up at Alec not sure what to expect.

"You were going to leave and not tell me?" Magnus nodded but didn't say anything so Alec continued, "Right so that deal we made last night that was just words?"

"No Alec I'm trying to save you,"

"I don't need you to, we're supposed to be partners, and I'm not a mundane I'm a shadow hunter, to me that makes us equals, I understand if you don't want to discuss this with the others but you owe it to me to tell me. And if you're going then so am I."

"Is it worth me arguing?" Magnus looked exhausted. Alec just shook his head. "Well then let's go."

"Really?"

"Like you said were partners." Magnus held out his hand which Alec took willingly. "But first we have to get ready." Alec raised his eyebrows sceptically but started to walk towards the bedroom.

"No not there we need to go somewhere very particular," Ale looked confused which caused Magnus to laugh "I think your knowledge of the Alliance needs expanding." With that the pair left the apartment.

Later once the others were all up Clary returned surprised to hear that there was to be no discussion and that Alec and Magnus had already gone and they were left to wait for their return. Unsurprisingly it was Izzy, who was angriest,

"Why didn't you stop them!" she shouted at Jace who looked guilty enough, "There going to kill them,"

"We don't know that, in my vision we were all there, I don't think your brother will die at least not today." Nixie's voice was calm and Simon walked over to Izzy wrapped an arm around her and kissed her long hair. Clary who had taken a seat opposite Jace was drawing him a slight frown of concentration on her face. Nixie looked around the room for support but found someone else was missing.

"Where is Diantai?" she said. It was Jace, who snapped back,

"Why would we know where your stupid sister is? She hates us and I not too keen on her either."

Nixie stood up and flounced from the room to knock on her sister's door. The others waited in an uneasy silence, all that could be heard were the knocks on the door and Nixie's soft voice calling for her sister; it reminded Simon of his sister knocking on his door wanting to talk after their farther had died the memory was painful as he tightened his grip on Izzy. She leaned into him resting her head on his shoulder and griping the front of his t-shirt. The next thing that anyone knew was Nixie's return her face horrified,

"She's gone! Please you have to help me find her." They all looked up at her now and realised how young she looked, now dressed in a flower print dress she could have passed for 16. Warlocks stop aging when the reach around 18 but Nixie had youthfulness to her face that the makeup she'd been wearing had covered up. Last night she'd seemed strong and confident but now she looked lost and afraid.

"Maybe she just popped out?" Clary suggested trying to comfort her.

"She wouldn't go, not without telling me; please I know she wasn't exactly pleasant but she's my sister and if Magnus is out…"

"We'll help," Izzy said softly. Nixie smiled at them.

Diantai ran down the docks counting the warehouse numbers in her head, _13, 14, 15, 16 ah this one_. She pushed the door open as it was already unlocked. Inside it was dark; the high windows were mostly blacked out bar one that aloud a small spotlight to illuminate the centre. As she entered the spotlight she spoke loud and clear.

"I'm here, alone as usual, I did what you said, I covered her premonition. They think the alliance will be the ones to do it."

"And what if they go to the alliance?" a voice said from the shadows.

"They won't I should go back we're going to discuss it, I'll make sure they don't go."

"Good bye then, I'll be in touch soon."

"And you're keeping to your side of the deal?"

"You'll see your lover boy soon enough."

With that Diantai turned and left, guilt rising in her stomach again but thoughts of Sam numbed the feeling, _the way he'd held her, the charm in his laugh, that way his hair would blow in the wind, his lips soft on hers, waking up wrapped in his embrace._ She smiled and breathed in the salty air.

**A/N: so there's chapter 8 I hope you enjoyed it, please review and the next chapter will probably be up this weekend.**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: I wasn't going to upload again till the weekend but I got this done early. Thanks for all the reviews and enjoy. **

"Seriously Magnus, what is this?" Alec whined as Magnus ran around him adjusting the heavy black material around him. They were in what Magnus had called the New York warlock headquarters, Alec had expected a hive of activity but was surprised to find the place deserted. Magnus said that it was the only place in America that you could portal to see the Alliance from and that the true location of the Alliance was unknown. But the New York headquarters consisted of a large hall which they had portaled into and surrounding it were many door apparently leading off to offices of sorts. The room they stood in now was the guest gowning room so Alec could only assume he was in the process of being gowned.

"For the thousandth time, it's a cloak, everyone who enters the Alliance building must where one." He laughed lightly pulling the hood up over his boyfriends head so that it sat on top his flopping fringe still visible. "Done."

"If everyone must why aren't you?" Magnus laughed and snapped his fingers, suddenly he was dressed head to toe in black. Black suit, black shirt, black tie, a black cloak was tied around his shoulders though it was made of a thinner lighter material to Alec's.

"Every warlock must dress in this and only this when the visit the Alliance, we are made these when we register, as a member." Alec frowned.

"I look stupid,"

"Well you're not a warlock but it sets the right impression if you respect our traditions. What you're wearing is a guest gown, when shadow hunters visit, normally to discuss the accords or a warlock's crime; they will wear one of these. And anyway," he started to smile, "I think you look hot." Alec blushed and looked himself down before spluttering

"Really…well it's…" but he was cut off by Magnus pressing his lips down on his, Alec smiled into it kissing back fiercely as the warlock tangled his hands in his hair. Alec wound his arms around Magnus's waist, pulling them closer together. When they broke off Magnus laughed,

"What am I going to do with you?"

"Do me." Alec responded blunt and innocently a light blush rising to his cheeks again. Magnus laughed again and took his hand exiting the room. As they reached the centre of the large hall Alec looked up, it had a high domed ceiling painted with the portraits of four figures, presumable warlocks. Magnus caught him looking up and explained,

"The four founders of the Alliance," Pointing at the first, a woman with a stunningly beautiful face, delicate frame and hair long and pitch black. In the portrait she wore a long black dress but it was like black smoke that had surrounded her, floating over one shoulder and cascading to the ground. Her warlock mark was a set of grand feathered wings, much like Alec had seen in the portraits of Raziel only black "That is Persephone, like the Greek myth she was married to the prince of hell, well one of them, on escaping she started up the Alliance, in a hope to bring peace between warlocks she never imagined she would help bring it to downworlders and shadow hunters too."

"Yeah we learnt about her, she's never left the Alliance has she, from fear her husband would find her?" Alec said recognising her now from the downworlders lessons years ago.

"Correct she was asked who the best candidate for the warlock representative for the new clave should be." He looked impressed at Alec's knowledge, and moved on to the next two at once, "Earnest and Constantine, the only Known twin warlocks, both very different." The first, Earnest, looked relatively normal besides the ram's horns on his head. He had dark hair and a plump build, in his hands was a book. He wore robes that again looked like smoke. His brother looked fierce, he was a taller, stronger build and he bared his teeth in the picture to reveal sharp silver points. His robe was identical to that of his brother's and his hands were crossed in front of him holding flames. "Earnest wrote the spell books and the law, he's mind bogglingly clever I think you'll like him," Alec nodded he'd learnt about all of them but Magnus taught different side to them, they real real not just historical figures.

"And Constantine, he enforces the law if the shadow hunters don't, tries to recruit rogue warlocks. We used to hear scary stories about him."

"He is quite terrifying; just only call him captain when you meet him,"

"I'm going to meet them," Alec couldn't hide the slight excitement in his voice, it was rare for a shadow hunter to meet the founders and if they did it was an honour, but Alec couldn't help but realise it was only an honour if you were going on behalf of the clave, not going to defend your relationship because it broke the law. "Even Velma?" Velma was the fourth founder he had not learnt much about her besides her name. In her portrait she appeared to be blowing a kiss to whomever was looking at the picture, she had electric blue hair and eyes. She wore a similar dress to Persephone's only the smoke stopped just above her knees, her face was soft and kind and she had a slender willowy frame.

"Ah Velma, yes you don't learn much about her, I assume that's because she doesn't affect shadow hunters much. Basically she's in charge of young warlocks, before they reach maturity, ensuring they are safe and learn to control their powers. It was her who came and found me requesting I assist in the raising of Diantai and Nixie. She often leaves to come into the outside world so she can save young warlocks, some refer to her as the mother of warlocks, but really she's more of a big sister, lovely person but very protective." Magnus smiled at Alec as he nodded in understanding. "And yes you will meet them, it's not like the clave where there's loads of shadow hunters all making decisions together, it's just those four in the Alliance building, well them and their ifrits servants." Magnus saw his boyfriend look worried then almost scared. "Alec you'll be fine, I'll go in first and then when I call come in after me, I won't leave you alone with them, I promise." Alec just nodded so Magnus started the portal.

"Are you sure she'll be here?" Jace called after Nixie as they walked down the Docks. Nixie had traced her sister to here and now they were walking up and down between rows of warehouses, mostly abandoned, looking for her.

"Yes she will, just keep looking and be ready," Jace sighed and drew out a seraph blade,

"_Atheed,_" Izzy did the same with hers calling it "_Jophiel_"

Clary and Simon walked awkwardly behind them, because she wasn't fully trained Jace had only given her a few daggers in case she needed them but had been reluctant at first saying she should stay behind in case she came back, but Clary had insisted.

Suddenly Isabelle's hand shot to her throat where her necklace had started pulsing,

"Jace, demons nearby!" with that they sprung into an unpractised formation.

Jace and Izzy back to back and turning scanning the area, Clary stepped in front of Simon who was baring his fangs and Nixie drew a dagger out of a thigh sheath with her tail and held it aloft behind her right ear whilst her fingers lit up with blue flames.

"How many Iz?" but Izzy had stopped turning and was frowning,

"They're gone, they were here but now they're not."

"What?"

"Diantai!" Nixie called out dropping her dagger and extinguishing the flames she ran to her sister who had just walked out of a gap between two warehouses. Nixie hugged her sister tightly who looked completely shocked.

"What are you doing here?" she said staring at them.

"We were looking for you, what are _you _doing here?" Jace said eyeing her suspiciously.

"I just went for a walk that apartment was too crowded." Jace's eyes narrowed but it was Izzy, who responded,

"Did you see any demons?" Diantai frowned and answered a second too quick

"No why would I have?" But no one noticed except Jace who frowned.

"My necklace sensed some but then they disappeared." Izzy continued, Diantai just shrugged,

"No idea, maybe your little shadow hunter toy is broken." She sneered back and started to walk away. All the others did as well except Jace and Clary.

"What is it Jace?" she said rubbing his back through his gear.

"Something's not right," he said turning to her "I've got a bad feeling."

Clary looked around the docks were deserted, it did seem like a strange place just to go for a walk, but she didn't really no Diantai so she just shrugged,

"Let's go back; we need to wait for Alec and Magnus to get back,"

"Yeah if they do get back,"

"Hey you'd know if something was wrong, you'd feel it." Jace just shook his head he knew that it was impossible to reach people in the Alliance building, they were so secretive, only one place you could portal there from in America, no fire messages could get in or out and when he'd tried to sense his parabatai he'd got nothing just like when he'd been with Sebastien. Jace was worried but he followed Clary, for her sake more than his own.


	10. Chapter 10

Magnus walked in to the Alliance hall, leaving Alec in the entrance hall on a small white sofa. The place was near enough the same as the last time Magnus had been which was nearly 400 years ago; the only difference was the updated furniture. The hall was still built of the same glowing white stone, and shining tiled floors. The room was circular with lots of big French doors leading out on to the same balcony that ran in a semi-circle on the far side. There was a desk pushed to one of the wall covered in paper work and bookshelves full to breaking point were also dotted around. He knew this was the only area of the grand Alliance mansion anyone ever saw, beyond the door at the far end was unknown. Earnest was sat at the desk, paper work rustling whilst Constantine spoke quietly to him. Persephone was absent. Velma however was sat on one of the 4 large thrones at the back of the hall, only not as someone should sit on a throne, her legs where swung over one of the arms whilst her back rested against the other, her head was buried inside a book. As an ifrit closed the door behind him Velma looked up surprised flew through her face as she ran across the hall into his arms, her blue hair blew out behind her as did her long floaty dress. It was blue to match her hair and made of many layers of fine organza.

"Magnus," she said in her deep Bulgarian accent, "it has been too long,"

"Hello Velma, you are correct it has, I just wish we could meet again under better circumstances." Magnus replied after kissing her lightly on each cheek.

"What do you mean?" the turned to see Persephone entering through one of the French doors. She wore a dress the same as Velma's but in deep green which contrasted oddly with her feathered black wings. The wings were still folding in, _she'd been flying_. Magnus had always thought how unfortunate she must be to never be able to leave this building that was before he realised she could fly along the alliance lands, no one knew how far they spread only that it was a lot bearing in mind only four warlocks and hundred so ifrits lived there. Then again they'd been there nearly 4000 years and it was only Velma who ever really left and even then it was only for short periods of time. Persephone was now making her way to her throne along with Earnest and Constantine, it was only Velma who stayed down with him, clicking her fingers two armchairs appeared and they both sat, Magnus placed his elbows on his knees and his hands where palm to palm in front of his face. After a couple of minutes he spoke.

"Do you remember Nixie?"

"The seer girl, of course," Velma replied softly,

"Well she had a premonition,"

"That's what seers tend to do." Constantine said impatiently so Velma shot him a dirty look.

"You set warlocks on me and a dear friend of mine, and his friends, you were killing them," Magnus voice grew louder in anger at what Nixie had recounted to him.

"Is this friend your little shadow hunter by chance?" Persephone said casually as if she hadn't really heard anything else.

"How do you- ?" but he was cut off abruptly by Constantine who just looked bored and annoyed,

"You really think no one would notify us of your little show in Idris, there were plenty of warlocks there, plenty happy to tell us anything to try to get a hold of your job," Constantine snapped glaring at him,

"But then why haven't said anything?"

"Magnus you are a great Warlock, very talented, an asset to the Alliance, killing you would've been a loss. We will tell you what we told your Seer friend when she came to us with her mortal problem; we do not encourage this but don't let it affect your work and we will allow it to continue." Earnest said his face emotionless

"Thank you, may I go?" he asked gratefully but in his head all he could think of was Nixie and her mortal problem, he knew nothing of it and she told him everything, but not this.

"Oh but Magnus do we not get to meet this boy, he must be quite something to have stolen your heart," Velma said smiling,

"He is." He pushed the thoughts of Nixie out of his head and turned it slowly to the door, "Alexander." The doors opened and Alec walked in head held high he walked strongly to Magnus's side where another chair had been drawn up. Though behind his strong exterior Magnus could see his tense shoulders, clenched fists hiding sweating palms, and him swallow. He wanted to call out to his boyfriend that it was alright but thought better of it, instead he held out his hand, which Alec took relaxing a little.

Persephone rose out of her seat and strode over her hand griped Alec's chin turning it to get a better look, this caused Alec to tense up again but Magnus squeezed his hand.

"Don't worry they're not going to kill us," he whispered and watched the relief flow through his face as Persephone stepped back.

"You're a lucky man Magnus, he truly is beautiful," she smiled at them. Alec blushed slightly.

"Do you speak child?" Earnest said staring down at him as though he were watching a play.

"I'm not a child." Was his stony reply.

"Good, then tell us, do you fear us?"

"No." this earned a chuckle from Earnest,

"Why not?"

"You don't wish to kill me; I have nothing to fear,"

"But we could have you tortured, we could pick out your toenails one by one, we could give you drugs to burn you from the inside, or send images that would destroy the very centre of your soul,"

"I don't doubt it, but you won't. The law states if a warlock falls in love with a mortal then that mortal will be killed. You have chosen to spare me; you cannot simply change the punishment that would break the accords. The Clave would come after you, and you would be slaughtered."

"Who says we would not win?" Constantine interrupted,

"Even you, Captain, do not want the world to go to wreck and ruin."

"He is clever; I'll give you that Bane." Constantine finished.

Velma sighed and stood up in front of Alec,

"I don't care if he can recite every demon that ever lived. Do you love Magnus?" Alec blushed and looked down smiling before turning to look at Magnus,

"Yes, I do."

"Good, now go, be happy, don't forget your job, and send me an invitation if you ever get married." Magnus laughed and stood up pulling Alec with him.

"Wait," Persephone called out, "Alec may I talk with you a second, alone?" Magnus's grip on Alec's hand tightened but Alec nodded and followed her out on to the balcony.

Now outside Alec could see the view, tumbling hills and rolling river where the sunlight danced off them. There were forests too stretching as far as the eye could see but this was the only building in sight.

"Magnus's ring," she started looking over the balcony with him, "it is the lightwood one is it not?" Alec looked confused but nodded.

"That is not the first time we here have seen it, 3 weeks ago a man showed up with a ring like that, from the Clave, Robert."

"That's my father, what did he want?"

"To beg, first for your life and then to end Magnus's," Alec felt faint, How could he, his own father, it felt like a stab wound straight to the heart, betrayal.

Cleary oblivious to his reaction she continued, "I only tell you as a warning, if your father finds a way to harm him, we will have no choice."

"If my father harms him, I'll kill him myself." His voice was cold and empty and he turned to walk back, he needed Magnus, his arms to wrap around him, hold him close.

"Just another question," Alec turned he looked at him now "do you pity me?"

"No." he answered bluntly and she smiled,

"Why? Most people do"

"Because they see you as trapped, but you are not, you are free. Go out in the world and you will be dragged back down to hell, stay here and you are free to spread your wings." She smiled and with that she jumped from the balcony her wings stretching out she flew away. She was free.

Alec walked back in and took Magnus's hand, after saying good bye they left and Magnus turned to him,

"What did she want?" he said staring at him.

"Can I tell you tomorrow?" Magnus looked confused so Alec explained, "I just want to celebrate, and no I don't mean have some massive party, no one's coming to kill us just yet so can we just have an evening in with Izzy, Simon, Jace, Clary and the girls if you want, just to be normal?" Magnus pulled his boyfriend close, their noses touching,

"We're hardly normal, but ok, what do you wanna do?"

"I donno just sit, talk, order in a pizza, I thought I was gonna die and I'm not ready to, I would have regretted not getting to no Clary better, and Nixie even Diantai. When Max died I regretted not spending time with him, I should've been there, I should have spoken to him more, but I didn't." Magnus wrapped his arms around him tightly, and drew him up to a kiss, it was soft but Alec got it, Magnus understood what he needed. They drew apart and stepped back though the portal together.


	11. Chapter 11

"He's back, I can sense him!" Jace called out suddenly, they'd got back from the docks hours ago but had found nothing better to do than hang around Magnus's apartment, they'd watched TV which none of them had been remotely interested in. So instead Jace had been showing Clary numerous weapons he had on his person and telling stories about them. Although she was listening Clary was also drawing the two warlocks sat on the opposite sofa after Nixie had clicked her fingers and transported her art stuff to her. The two warlocks themselves were involved in an intense card game that none of the others understood. Izzy and Simon were sat together in an armchair; she was sat on his lap her arms laced around him as he told her a story that seemed to involve a lot of elves and short people as well as some evil jewellery, clary recognised it as the lord of the rings but didn't wish to listen in. She didn't mind Simon and Izzy being together, on the country she found it quite sweet, it was just painful to see how physically close they were, holding hands, kissing. She turned to Jace who was now re-calling a practically close encounter he'd had with a demon whilst out on a Sunday stroll. She smiled, she could listen to him all day long, they would find a cure that she was sure of. It was just as she was finishing the shading on Nixie's tail when Jace shouted out.

Izzy's head shot up "Is he alright,"

"Yeah he's fine, they must be coming back." Izzy walked over to Jace and hugged him tightly but let go before the fire could rise. The Atmosphere changed then, Izzy wouldn't sit down instead she bounced lightly on the balls of her feet. Jace turned on the sofa so he was practically lying down and Clary moved so she sat between his legs leaning against his chest, protected by the thick layer of gear he was yet to remove. Nixie packed away her card and got up to make people a drink. Diantai looked uncomfortable; she snapped her fingers and a magazine fell into her lap she started to read it absentmindedly.

A few minutes passed before Magnus burst through door Alec right behind him.

"Alec!" Izzy squealed running into him as he got over the threshold. Despite her appearing strong, when it came to Alec her mask would slip, she hugged her close and he returned her embrace,

"I'm fine Iz; they don't want to kill me."

"Ok but don't you ever do that to me, we were so worried." She said releasing him so he could walk further into the loft.

"I'm sorry." he kissed her gently on the forehead and she smiled, the others came next, Nixie running to Magnus in a similar fashion to Izzy but the encounter was wordless. Simon made some remark about not being dead yet. Jace and Clary asked for an account of what had happened to which he gave everyone a brief summery leaving out his conversation with Persephone, which Magnus made note of. Nixie handed everyone out a drink that they had each requested. It was only Diantai who stayed still barely registering their arrival her head still stuck in the magazine.

"You like woman's weekly then Di?" Magnus teased when he caught her. In response she raised both eyebrows and snapped the magazine away.

"See your still alive then." She said looking at Alec,

"Yeah for now." Alec turned to the others, "We were wondering if you wanted to stay for the evening, I just think we should spend some time together after all that's happened these past few months."

"Wow Al this isn't like you," Izzy said smiling,

"Yeah well you don't appreciate things till you nearly loose them," with that it was decided, Magnus drew up to more sofas with a click. There were now four arranged in a square, Clary and Jace on one, Simon and Izzy on another, Diantai and Nixie on the third and Magnus and Alec on the last.

"So what shall we do?" Clary said propping her feet up on the coffee table in the centre.

"Why don't we play a game?" Simon said excitedly.

"Yeah I'm sure Magnus has trivial pursuit stashed away in one of these cupboards," Jace said earning an elbow in the ribs from Clary.

"We could play a game," Izzy said innocently, "what about truth or dare?"

Magnus grinned, but Alec's face grew in terror

"No way."

"Why not you said you wanted to get to know the girls better and spend time with everyone, this is the perfect way." Alec knew he was out voted.

"Hey, it's either that or spin the bottle," Izzy said jokingly laughing at Alec's look of horror.

"Okay, I'll go first," Diantai said, everyone looked slightly surprised. "Isabelle, truth or dare?" Izzy's eyes narrowed,

"Dare."

"Okay," after a moment of thinking she replied, "I dare you to kiss one of the boys in this room, but not Stanley,"

"It's Simon," the vampire said, slightly annoyed. But nobody listened.

"You are joking one of them is my brother and gay the other could burn me and the third is Magnus."

"Dear Isabelle you say that as if it's a bad thing," Magnus said laughing but was surprised when she hopped of the couch walked over, bent down in front of him and kissed him straight on the mouth for a second and then recoiled back to Simons side shuddering. Magnus looked taken aback for a second but then wiped his mouth turning to Alec who looked fuming.

"Defiantly chose the right lightwood." He smiled and Alec's face melted as Magnus snuggled into him.

"Right now that terrifying experience is over, it's my go," Izzy said turning her gaze to Jace who stared back eyebrows raised. "Jace?"

"Dare." He replied quickly,

"Okay, I dare you to send a fire message to Aline declaring your love for her." Jace suddenly looked quite ill and turned to Clary for support but she was just laughing. Sighing he grabbed the pen and paper Magnus had summoned for him and began to write. Once he was finished he drew out his stele and burnt it.

"Right time for revenge." He turned to his girlfriend, "Truth or dare?"

"Truth," Jace looked disappointed,

"Fine, what's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?" Clary turned a violent shade of red which clashed horridly with her hair. Simon laughed; he knew exactly what she was going to say.

"I was in the 4th grade, I went to the toilet and I got the paper stuck in my skirt, I ended up spreading it round the school and the teachers gave me detention, and you," she said pointing at Simon glaring "didn't tell me!"

Simon blushed "Yeah sorry about that." Everyone laughed but Simon was by far the loudest so Clary picked on him,

"truth." He said quickly and Clary thought for a moment before choosing a question that had been playing on her mind anyway,

"If you could go back to being human, would you?" everyone looked to Simon then with great interest, especially Izzy.

"Yes, I would," he said it casually like it was obvious but the he grinned, "I miss pizza." Izzy laughed and Simon looked to Diantai.

"Truth or dare?" she looked surprised as if she thought they'd never ask.

"Dare," she said, she wasn't about to tell any of these strangers something personal.

"I dare you to phone up the institute and say you're pregnant and Jace is the father."

"Simon!" Clary called out but Jace laughed,

"Clary, it'll be funny, and it's not like it's true." He said rubbing her back though she still looked unsure, but Alec came to her rescue.

"No say it's mine, it'll be good to hear her reaction," now Magnus looed surprised, he knew it was a sore point that Marsye wasn't going to get grandchildren from Alec. For once it was something that he wasn't the blame for, but he was surprised Alec would be happy to give her false hope like that.

Alec clearly noticed his concern, "She deserves it, these past few weeks she just…"

"She's been acting like nothing has happened," Jace interrupted, "like you never existed."

"Hey do you think this is good for me, pretending to be having a shadow hunter's baby?" Diantai said never the less she drew out her phone and dialled Marsye's number as Izzy read it out. She called and put it on loud speaker.

"Hello is that Mrs Lightwood?"

"Yes, who is this?" Marsye's voice strong and business like.

"Hello my name is Keri Saunders, I was just wondering if you knew where Alec is, I have some big news for him, but I can't seem to get in touch with him,"

"Oh, well I assume he's out, him and his siblings left early this morning."

"Oh so he's out _hunting_, don't worry I'm a werewolf I know what he is." Diantai put emphasis on the hunting realising Marsye clearly had no idea where her son was. But Marsye seemed oblivious to this.

"Is it anything I can help you with?"

"Well yes I suppose you should know, this affects you too," She took an over exaggerated deep breath, "I'm pregnant and Alec's the father." It was quiet for a moment but then Marsye let out a laugh not a light hearted one, but a deep sarcastic one,

"Very funny Isabelle, getting one of your friends to say something like that, well I suppose I deserve it. I know I've hardly been sympathetic towards your brother, but that's only because I know it will do him no good to mope around all day when he has priorities, him and Magnus will be back on before we know it. I can tell Isabelle and if Alec's there too than I know my dears, he loves Alec, I know when a man looks into someone's eyes and he loves them. I've seen Lucien do it all these years." Izzy quickly took the phone from Diantai, who was frozen in surprise,

"I'm sorry mom." and then hung up.

"Wow." Was all Alec could manage before Magnus pulled him into a deep kiss, the others kindly looked away whilst they shared this moment.

"She's right your mother is, I love you with everything I have, I promise." Magnus whispered against his lips. When they broke apart Diantai sighed impatiently, causing Alec to blush, and then turned to Nixie.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Nixie said not trusting her sister with giving her a dare.

"Were you married?"


	12. Chapter 12

The room became silent at once as if everyone as holding their breath. Simon, Izzy, Clary, Jace and Alec all froe as if realising the mood of the game had changed dramatically. Magnus had now put it together in his head, Nixie's 'mortal problem' as the Alliance had put it, but would Nixie really have married a mortal? He'd known her since she was a baby, and in all that time he'd never seen her show any sort of romantic interest in anyone. Nixie's face was in shock she stared at her sister as if she had just been slapped, her throat constricted and her usual singing voice was replaced by an off key broken one.

"How…How did you know?" She just managed,

"The ring around your neck, when you collapsed yesterday it fell out from inside your dress then, when you woke up the first thing you did was hide it again." Diantai's voice had a bitter angry edge to it.

"Dian…"

"Don't I can't even look at you." Diantai turned he head to stare straight forward where Simon looked back at her dumbfounded,

"So what she got married, I get it she didn't invite you but really at least hear her out." Diantai just laughed, not a cheery good natured one but an angrier hurtful one.

"You wouldn't understand vampire, he was a mortal, a mundane, only they give rings like that." Her voice sounded disgusted and the room turned cold Magnus was stood up now.

"Diantai go cool off." He said firmly pulling her off the sofa but she pushed him of whipping her head round to glare at him,

"It's nearly as bad as shacking up with a shadow hunter," as she said the last word she spat in Alec's direction, he recoiled and the Jace was also on his feet in front of and with his back to Alec, crouching protectively. But before anyone else could think Magnus struck out, sending Diantai flying across the room, before hitting the wall she landed, assisted by magic, lightly on the balls of her feet. She walked back squaring up to Magnus.

"You're a disgrace, Magnus Bane, after everything his kind has done."

"You can't help who you love, not everyone has it as easy as you and Sam did."

"He's dead, Magnus, I wouldn't call that easy,"

"What about Nixie I assume her husband's dead," Nixie flinched at this but stayed silent fiddling with the chain around her neck.

"Sam and I were the same species, not some mundane filth or murdering scum, like you two have had or got, I wasn't sleeping with the enemy!"

"The shadow hunters aren't our enemy Diantai, not anymore," his voice began to rise.

"They killed Sam!" the others were frozen still staring in horror, they had never seen Magnus angry, he was always so calm and collected be it a bit crazy. But now they could see him losing it.

"They had nothing to do with it! You got your reparations 50 years ago, learn to move on like Nixie has."

"We should have had forever!"

"Hating the shadow hunters won't bring him back!" he was shouting now and Diantai's face changed into a cruel glare,

"No, but killing them will." And with that she ran from the room and out of the apartment.

For a moment Alec thought Magnus might run after her, but he didn't. Instead he turned to Nixie who was now curled up rocking backwards and forwards, clutching the end of her necklace. He sat beside her as he reached out and uncurled her fingers. Inside laid a single band of gold, a wedding band.

"Did you know?" her voice was no more than a whisper and Magnus nodded.

"Kind of, the Alliance gave me some clues, but only when she asked did I get it," he place a hand on her shoulder and smiled trying to say it was okay.

"I'm sorry… I should have told you, but I knew how she would react and I … I just couldn't…" as she broke off Magnus pulled her to him, holding her tightly against his chest. Izzy shifted uncomfortably wanting to ask question but seeing it as the wrong time. Thankfully Ale saved her.

"Magnus?" said Alec and his head swirled round to face them but he didn't let go of a crying Nixie. "Who's Sam?"

Magnus looked at him not sure what to say, he knew his boyfriend well enough to know that he really wanted to know why she thought killing them would bring him back. He wanted to comfort him and tell him she was talking nonsense, which she was, but felt he needed an explanation first.

"Sam is the reason she hates shadow hunters. He as Diantai's partner but he was killed by your kind, they suspected him of dealing illegal substances amongst downworlders. She was devastated and demanded reparations, which after his innocence was proved, she got. But that's never been enough she wants revenge, she believes your death would bring her some form of inner peace." As he finished the others looked at him in shock. Nixie was now sat up, she wiped her eye and began to speak, almost reaching her normal singing tone.

"And by that he means all shadow hunters, your jut the four nearest and easiest to threaten, but she won't. It's an empty threat she knows killing you would hurt Magnus so much he would never forgive her. She's just angry at us, she feels betrayed."

"Nixie's right, she'll probably go back to New Zealand now in a grump, and I'll see her in another 100 years and she'll be begging for forgiveness." He watched Alec relax and turned back to Nixie. "Now tell me, who was this lucky man?"

"Oh your friends don't want to hear about that," she said dismissively but the others protested.

"Yes we do, I've known of warlocks having relationships with mundanes, but I've never known one to marry one." Izzy said her voice full of great interest, the others nodded in agreement.

"Okay, well it was 1887 when I first met Darren, he as a sweet innocent boy living on the streets in Glasgow, I was the high warlock there at the time. It was nice but I missed the south west. Anyway he was just a beggar boy no older than fourteen, but I had a feeling when I saw him, not a premonition but something telling me I should help him. So I followed my instinct and did just that. I took him for a coffee, I found out he was an orphan who had once had great ambition of being a wealthy business man. I told him it was never too late and was about to offer him a loan to get him started, when the roof of the coffee shop collapsed. I managed to save myself and the boy with magic, but he now knew what I was. He didn't mind he was grateful for me saving him and reluctant to take my money, but in the end I insisted and he left for London, swearing to keep my secret."

"And did he?" Clary asked clearly intrigued. Nixie nodded.

"Indeed he did, three years later I returned to the south west taking up the role of the high warlock of Cornwall, it was somewhere that really felt like home. Meanwhile it turned out Darren had achieved his dream and was running a highly successful company however he had also gotten involved in the pandemonium club. It was there that he asked about me. They told him where I could be found and he came to visit me and pay back the money I had given him. He was surprised to see me again said he couldn't believe it was really me, he thought I'd been an angel. I was surprised to see him as well, he had changed so much no longer the scrawny little boy I'd picked up out of the gutter but a handsome young gentleman of 17 who was already making his fortune." She smiled at the memory.

"And then you fell in love." Simon said also enjoying the story.

"Yes it was gradual but we did, he courted me and one day he proposed and I got that feeling again telling me to say yes. It was a small mundane ceremony just me, him and my servants as witnesses. We stayed in Cornwall I continued my job and he his, going through a portal to get to work. We were happy. Though soon people would notice him not staying in his residence in London, the pandemonium club began to talk and soon some warlocks there worked it out. They went to the Alliance with their suspicions and then I was called in."

"That's how you knew about the loop hole right?"

"They told you the same thing?" Ale asked Magnus who didn't actually know what had happened before Magnus had called him in.

"Yeah, they said that I was too valued."

"Yeah well they would, they didn't want to lose someone with my ability either."

"So you were alright, then what happened?"

"We were happy just like most married couples and then a year after we were married Velma showed up unannounced, with a baby, a little warlock abandoned like I was,"

"Really she gave you a child?" Magnus said eyes wide in surprise, he knew Velma was responsible for young warlocks but he never thought Nixie would keep something like that secret."

"We named her Carrie Lyn Mcfarrel which was Darren and mines last name, she's a wonderful warlock we brought her up well, she even went to Idris to assist in your battle against Valentine."

"Wait didn't she partner one of the Penhallows?" Jace said remembering the discussions after the battle.

"Yes she did. That's also how I found out about you and Alec, Magnus she still sees me as her mother." Magnus nodded working it out,

"And Darren, what became of him?" Alec asked hoping for better answer than the one he received,

"He died, old age he had a long full life though and I stayed with him till the end."

Alec's head fell wishing she could have said something about him becoming immortal even though she had already confirmed his death. Nixie, noticing this looked to him with a weak smile.

"Alec we may not change our loved ones into vampires or use black magic to curse them into immortality, it is against the law, and they've already made enough exceptions. There is a difference between being with a mortal, lots of warlocks do that and the Alliance sometimes never find out, Magnus has done it enough times, but to change you that would be something else entirely."

"Alec you honesty weren't considering it were you?" Jace said shocked at his parabatai,

"Jace, Clary I think we should leave them to talk don't you?" Izzy said standing, pulling Simon up with her,

"But," Jace said in protest but clary was already pulling him away.

Once the four had left Magnus sat back down next to Alec.

"I'm sorry but you will age and eventually die, and I can't stop that," Magnus's voice was thick and he looked him deeply in the eyes so Alec could see he was speaking directly from his heart, Nixie quietly crept from the room into her own.

"I know," Ale said taking Magnus's hands and squeezing them.

"I live forever Alexander so I can't promise I'll never love anyone else any more than I can say I never loved anyone before you. It would be unfair of you to ask me to. But I can promise to stay by you until you draw your last breath. I want to wake up next to you every morning. I want to hold you as I go to sleep at night. I want to wait here worrying until you return from hunting and if you ever get hurt I want to be the one to heal you. I could protect you but you don't need it, your strong, the strongest person I've ever known," Alec smiled leaning his head so it touched Magnus's forehead, but then the warlock moved so he stood in front of him.

"And if you're strong enough to stand by me, then I don't care what the Alliance, the Clave or Diantai says. Alexander Gideon Lightwood will you marry me?"


	13. Chapter 13

Alec stared at him, was he serious? He wanted Alec forever, to marry him. Alec thought about it, he'd already given Magnus his ring but actually getting married that was massive. But it felt right so he felt himself begin to nod.

"Yes… yes of course I will." He stood up then grabbing Magnus's arms for support and kissed him. Thought flowed through him like flashbacks. Their first kiss, date, their travels together, him giving Magnus his strength, the first time Magnus had said he loved him, kissing him in front of the Clave, coming off the roof and seeing him, _you are not trivial_. He wasn't he knew Magnus had never been married he'd told him that at least. They continued kissing for several minutes until a fire message landed beside them and they broke apart.

"It's for you dear," Magnus said passing it to him.

Alec opened it quickly wanting to get back to his fiancé, tell him all the sweet romantic things he could manage but the note stopped him in his thoughts.

_Alec,_

_Come to the docks as soon as possible._

_Bring Nixie she knows where to meet us._

_Izzy x_

Magnus read the note upside down and called for Nixie. Then he summoned Alec'sbow and arrows along with other weapons and his gear from the institute.

"Here," he said passing them to him as he pulled the gear on, Nixie was waiting by the door setting up a portal on the adjacent wall. Magnus walked over to her and kissed her forehead before turning to Alec "look after her and yourself."

"Aren't you coming?"

"No I have something's I got to do, if you need me call me. When you get back we can tell the others the good news." Alec smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips before falling through the portal. Nixie gave Magnus a confused to which he just tapped his nose.

"Well that was interesting," Izzy said once they reached the street, they all looked back up at Magnus's apartment,

"Yeah, what shall we do now?" Clary said hugging her sketch pad to her chest.

"I want to go back to the docks," Jace said Izzy nodded in agreement.

"Something wasn't right there I know." With that it was decided. They ducked into a back ally and drew the portal rune on the wall. They all went through Izzy and Simon first followed by Jace and Clary.

They ended up in the same maze of warehouses they had been in before; Izzy's sensor remained inactivated as they walked through the city of abandoned buildings in an eerie silence. The silence was broken by the arrival of a fire message. It was for Jace but clary read it out loud.

"Jace, I'm so sorry if I gave you the wrong impression back in Idris but I don't see you like that. As I thought you were aware I am currently seeing Helena Blackthorn, and I thought you were seeing Clary. I hope we can stay friends and that you didn't end said relationship on my account. Sorry, Aline."

Everyone was laughing then except Jace who, for the first time Clary had seen, blushed. The laughing died down as they continued to weave through the warehouses. Simon stuck close to Isabelle's side.

She was grateful, Simon's presence was comforting even though she knew she was a much better fighter and in the event of an emergency she would be the one protecting him. Simon was different, she liked him, the way his eyes followed her when she enters a room the same way they used to follow Clary. The way he didn't care how much Jace teased him, he would still quote star wars. How he didn't object to her being a demon killer in fact he liked her more for it. Her marks didn't disgust him the way they had disgusted other men she'd dated. He was different there was something reassuring and constant about him. Izzy found herself smiling now, wanting to start laughing again. She, Isabelle Lightwood, has herself stuck in love with a mundane. Well a vampire, daylighter, whatever he wasn't a very good vampire, pretty much a mundane with fangs. Who drinks blood. And doesn't age. So a Vampire. But this was Simon and he was different, he would have to be. She had sworn never to fall in love; her mother had taught her that, but Simon was special. Well he certainly looked special now sniffing the air like a dog smelling food.

"Simon what are you…" Izzy started but he raised a hand to cut her off.

"I smell blood." He continued sniffing the air whilst walking forward as if following an imaginary path, the others followed him Clary, with two daggers in her hand, Jace, who'd selected a short sword and Izzy, whose whip was ready to hit anything in their way. He stopped outside one of the warehouses,

"It's in there." Simon swallowed feeling his fangs contract. Jace pushed him aside to examine the door.

"Locked." Jace said to Izzy who sighed.

"So unlock it," Simon said Jace ignored him,

"We need a warlock," Isabelle nodded and Clary filled Simon in.

"It's a demon lock, made by a warlock it only allows selected parties in, we need a warlock to undo it." Simon nodded understanding.

"So shall we call Magnus?"

"No," Izzy said sharply the others turned to her surprised, "Clary can I borrow that?" she said indicating to the sketch pad and pencil, Clary handed it over still confused. "Cheers, right I'm gonna send a fire message to Alec telling him to bring Nixie, this is where Diantai came from earlier, so my guess is that she locked that door. They're sisters; Nixie's most likely to know what she's doing."

"And Magnus is getting fed up of being the only warlock we ever ask for." Simon added and Izzy looked grateful for the support. After finishing the note she touched it with her stele and it burnt away.

"_Come on Nixie, I'm telling you, mundanes are so funny!"_

"_No Dian, Sera told us not to go this far without Mags with us, it's not safe"_

"_Come on we shouldn't have to hide," Diantai kept on running through the field, she could see the village rapidly approaching. Her sister was still calling her from behind._

Diantai shivered washing the image of her past away. She was sat in the corner of Taki's, alone in a booth. She wanted to go back and apologise, beg for forgiveness but she couldn't, she wouldn't give herself away to them to ask her questions. She owed as much to Sam, other images came back.

"_Forever?"_

"_Of course, we have forever, and I don't want to spend it with anyone but you."_

Sam's final words to her hung in her head, and then the shadow hunters had come and killed him where he stood; she'd made herself invisible to stop them killing her too. They'd relished his death and now she'd relish theirs. Starting with inhabitants of the New York institute.

She then drew out her mobile and dialled in the number she'd been given if ever she had to contact Him.

"I'll help you kill them." She said bluntly

"Good good." The voice on the other end responded coldly.

"Two conditions." She said strongly,

"The one we discussed?"

"Yes and the other, I want Nixie to stay alive."

"And Magnus?"

"He's made his choice."

"Thank you Diantai."

Robert lent back in the chair in his study feet propped up on the table, he had it all planned out. As soon as Magnus was dead he would kill Him, making him a hero and bringing Alec back to him. He smiled and drew out his phone.

"I'll help you kill them."

"Really even your son." The voice said not even slightly surprised Robert smiled, he could lie.

"I have no son."

"Good, I can trust you can't I Robert, Light woods are supposedly men off their words?"

Robert thought back a laugh. His mind went to Max he knew Sebastien had killed him and now he would be able to have his revenge on the men who had taken his sons from him. So he lied again.

"I am as loyal to you as I once was to your father Sebastien."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Okay so there will be more about Sebastian in the next chapter but this ones just about Magnus and how he feels about Alec, hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Magnus leaned back into the sofa and let out a long breath, he'd said yes, that was what mattered. Keeping the image of Alec's surprised face in his mind he closed his eyes. Just one minute more, he thought, let me have that. But the floor board creaked and he knew he had to face her.

"You can come out now," Magnus called to the shadows of the hall way that normally led to the bedrooms. Slowly a figure emerged. Her long Blue hair was tied up now unlike earlier and she wore denim shorts and a plain white fitted t-shirt. "Velma, to what do I owe the pleasure?" he indicated to the sofa opposite him.

"Well Magnus, I felt need to remind you of a certain law but now I feel congratulations are in order." Magnus smiled.

"How long have you been there?"

"How long did you know I was standing there?" she said back.

"I heard you come out of one of my rooms after Nixie went to hers, how long had you been in there?" he asked again.

"I portaled straight into that room, and walked out immediately, lucky she didn't see me really." She said casually like it was something she did a lot.

"So why did you come?"

"I told you, I needed to remind you of a law."

"Why not tell me earlier?"

"I wished to talk with you alone, without interruptions." her voice was business-like and calm.

"So which law is this?"

Velma's voice changed then became softer but more serious.

"Magnus, the Alliance has been lenient so far but do not push us."

Magnus looked confused,

"What do you mean? I have done nothing wrong since speaking to you this morning."

But Velma carried on as if he had not spoken.

"We allow your relationship with the Nephilim but we shall not be as generous as to let you change him, to do so would end in his death and yours as well."

Magnus understood her completely. He stood up turning from her before saying in a small voice,

"You think I don't know that? You think I wanted to lie to him?"

"Lie to him, what do you mean?" staring at him confused.

"I as good as told him I would love again." He said sitting back down his head in his hands.

"How do you know you won't?"

"Because I have loved before, but not like this, he's different."

"Then why lie?"

They both sat staring at each other now.

"Because last time I told him I would never love again, he felt bad and tried to find immortality himself. I won't let him do that I already knew if he did you would kill him." There was a bitter edge to his voice now. "I feel for him as I have never before for anyone else. I won't ever be happy again when he's... after he's…" His voice was chocked now fighting back the emotions.

"Look at Nixie, she lost the love of her life, does she live in a pool of heartbreak and loneliness?" Magnus thought then. He'd never seen Nixie in love but she was happy it seemed. Could he live like that, content with a life without Alec but surrounded by friends. Nixie had many friends, she could get along with anyone, but so did he. But they too would pass.

"Why can't I look?" he said hopeful.

"Magnus, even if there was a way, it would cause uproar. Give one shadow hunter immortality and they'll all want it." She said sharply.

"But this is a unique case," he said voice turning desperate.

"How would you in any case? Vampirism is frowned upon for Nephilim and black magic would only tear apart his soul. There is no way."

"What about the ancient spells, from the lost works?"

"They are lost Magnus, Earnest didn't write them, they were lost even before Persephone's time."

"Then why come to tell me not to do something that is impossible anyway?" annoyance and anger in his voice.

"Because I know you, I have watched you since you were a child. I know when you get an idea in your head you can't help but act on it. I know you would search for an answer, to the sacrifice of your other priorities and when you failed…"

"You think I would become mortal for him?" Magnus said in a lighter voice, Velma only nodded.

"And you wouldn't want that, would you?" he said bitterly.

"Magnus you are very…" she started but was cut off.

"Talented, so I've heard. It's my choice." He said adamantly.

"It's the wrong choice,"

"What other options do I have? Spend the rest of eternity wallowing in self-pity. I'm not like Nixie. I don't choose that."

"Choose to lose your immortality and we will take your Alec from you!" said Velma voice stern as a school teachers.

"Alexander is not a toy you can take from me; he is a person in his own right. He does not answer to you." He stared her down. Of all the Alliance Magnus had always liked her best. She was the first fellow warlock he'd ever met; she was by far the most pleasant and welcoming. But now he could see her acting as a mouth piece for the others, more specifically Constantine. Cracks were beginning to show, like she wanted to apologise and tell him they would accept whatever choice he made but couldn't. She was the youngest of the four, but still a lot older than him, she had a younger sister feel about her, as though still trying to prove herself to her peers. Then the cracks disappeared and she was solid again.

"True, but you do." Magnus wanted to grab her then and shake her by the shoulders until she showed some hint of her own feelings. But he couldn't, he would remember his place.

"And if I didn't?" he tested. He had no intention of leaving the Alliance, or lose his slight friendship of sorts with Velma. It paid to have friends in high places.

"Then the Clave would hunt and kill you. Our word is the only thing that stops them now." She said bluntly but then smiled "They're not happy; they believe you corrupted one of their young shadow hunters. And I told them 'Magnus would never do a thing like that, he has the morals of an angel'." Magnus laughed,

"What did they say to that?"

"They said 'that's all well and good unless they're like his fathers.' And then I told them that Alec was not corrupted, that he fell in love, which should not be a crime. And then they said we had already made it a crime and we said that Alec was in no danger from our laws. Then they left, they weren't very happy."

Magnus laughed lightly then his faced turned sad again.

"No matter what I choose it will end in death."

"Everything ends in death. Except us; we go on." Her voice was her own now; comforting.

"How will I go on without him? I could barely last two weeks." Velma looked at him, his face full of the innocence of a child's; compared to her he was only a child.

"Fuelled by the memories of you and him together. Magnus don't waste a moment."

"I won't." she smiled, stood up kissed the top of his heard and exited the apartment the way it had been exited so many times already today.

Her words stuck in his head,_ don't waste a moment,_ he stood up and went to the point where Nixie had made the portal earlier. He would go to Alec at the docks; he would be by his side. He wouldn't waste a moment.

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**A/N: Happy Easter, next chapter should be up in the week, but I'm going back to school so don't know how much free time I'll have to write it. Please review :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Sorry for the late update, been really busy. I'll try to get the next chapter up by Sunday. Enjoy :)**

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"Can you unlock it?" Simon asked as she knelt down. Her eyes level with the key hole.

"Should be able to, might take a minute." Suddenly her face went pale and became drained of colour.

"What's wrong," Alec said kneeling beside her. She stared at him and took a deep breath in and stood up.

"When a warlock does magic it leaves a trace of them, a signature. Some make it deliberately…"

"Like when Magnus signed my mind?" Clary interrupted.

"Yes exactly like that. Others don't but even so they can be identified."

"How?" Izzy asked,

"It's like hand writing, everyone's is different, so if a warlock recognises the magic they may be able to identify who did it. Then they can try to undo it,"

"Right so can you do it?" Jace asked impatiently.

"Yes, I know who did this; I'd recognise their work anywhere,"

"Diantai?" Clary said which earned a single nod from Nixie.

"Can you undo it?"

"Well any warlock could in the enough time, but I," she bent make down, her lips nearly touching the key hole, and made a sharp whistling noise which was followed by a click. He stood back up and blocked the way, "can do it in a second." The comment should have come with s cocky, satisfied smile, but her face remained sincere.

"May we go in?" Jace asked sarcastically.

"Yes, but first I want it clear that whatever is behind this door is nothing to do with me. However I will stand by my sister should your kind wish to harm her."

"We understand," Izzy said mirroring her mother's business like tone. "Whatever she has done we know that you didn't break the accords."

Nixie stepped aside and Jace pushed the door open. They entered the room slowly, Jace first quickly followed by Alec, then Clary, Simon and Nixie with Izzy bringing up the rear.

The ware house was empty the only light came from a widow high above their heads illuminating a single circle on the concrete floor. The door swung shut behind them and they all stood in silence. Simon sniffed the air again and made the first step forward but stopped as Izzy grabbed his arm. He looked at her as she drew a finger to her lips signalling silence. Jace was making silent hand gestures. Alec and Izzy nodded. They stayed silent, weapons drawn, and started to walk the length of the room in a triangle, Jace and Izzy in the front and Alec as the point watching their backs. Alec held his bow loaded ready to shoot and the other two both held a witch light in their clenched free hand. Shards of light escaped through their fingers illuminating their path forward. Nixie was in her own world oblivious to the shadow hunter's motions. She held her dagger with her tail as she had earlier that day; her finger tips were alight with flames. As she walked ahead Alec let in a sharp breath, he adjusted his pace so he could see in front of all three of them remembering his promise to Magnus. He also cast the odd look behind where Clary and Simon were following, Clary had a small sword drawn and Simon's fangs were bared.

They found the ware house to be deserted, but it didn't take them long to find the blood Simon had smelt.

It was contained in a small bowl at the back of the ware house but there was no trace of where it had come from. They all crowded around it. The bowl was stone and half full of the crimson liquid. It stood on the floor, surrounded by markings, engraved into the ground like someone had scratched them in.

"What is this?" Jace said staring around the group.

"A blood deal," Nixie said bending down and running her finger tips over the markings. The others stared at her confused, "It's when a demon make's a deal with someone from the shadow world, and it's forbidden according to the accords. Do you not know of them?" The others shook their heads in unison urging her to continue.

"Well that's hardly unsurprising. It's an ancient demon sport. Even young warlocks don't learn it anymore."

"Did you say 'sport'?" Clary said in a disgusted tone.

"Yes, long ago demons would find some gullible downworlders, confused shadow hunter or a rich mundane and offer them a deal. They would do something for them and in exchange they would give something back."

"Right," Alec said bending down to examine the markings,

"The demon would ask for blood as a guarantee that the debt would be repaid, if they failed they would die."

"That's horrible." Said Izzy, who was normally good at hiding her emotions.

"That's demon sport," she said dismissively, "this was probably some mundane, there's nothing more to do. The task given is normally impossible; they've dug their own grave." She turned on her heel and made to leave but Izzy stopped her.

"How can you say that?"

"Isabelle," Alec said tapping her on the shoulder to silence her and then turned to face the back of Nixie's head, she had stopped but not turned around. "There may be nothing you can do, but we are shadow hunters, it is our job to protect mundanes, however stupid they may have been."

"And if he's already dead, you won't be able to trace the demon, you can't do anything." Nixie said spinning back round; they all stared at her for a second. Tears were pricking to her eyes, it was obvious why she had given up so quickly, this wasn't the first time she'd seen something as sick and twisted as what they had just heard about.

"You've seen this before? You said young warlocks don't learn about them, but you have," Alec asked and she nodded,

"When I was child I lived near a small farming village, whenever Magnus was around he would place me and Diantai under glamour and let us walk through the farmers market, experience the presence of other people. One Sunday when Magnus wasn't there Diantai ran to the village alone and unglamoured. They captured her, wanted to burn her as a witch. Seraphena was approached by a demon offering to save her. She accepted, she couldn't not, she would've done anything for us."

"I'm so sorry; could she not repay the demon?" Alec continued, the others listened intently.

"I don't know, never found out what he asked of her. A few weeks on Magnus returned and Seraphena told him what she'd done, I swear she saw him as god," Alec smiled slightly at that, "he got angry and hunted down the demon and slayed it, breaking the deal and freeing Sera from it."

"Oh, so she was fine," Izzy said, seeing hope for the mundane whose blood lay in a bowl at her feet.

"No, years later, a demon visited her, it said she had not escaped her punishment for breaking her word, she died screaming for the three of us." Her voice went cold and empty. Alec wanted to step forward and comfort her, but something stopped him. Instead he stayed silent along with the others. Until Simon broke the silence.

"Guys, we have a problem,"

"What?" Izzy said her head snapping round to see him knelt down by the bowl,

"I know whose blood this is, I've smelt it before." He had everyone's attention now,

"It's Sebastien's."

Everyone stopped breathing and stared at him. They all wanted to say something, question if he was sure, but no one could find the words.

Then everything went black.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Sorry for the late upload, I have been very busy, hope you enjoy and please review it's really nice to read what you think. :)**

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Magnus walked down the docks calling out Alec's name. In return he was greeted by silence. He carried on in till he was deep within the maze of warehouses. There was nothing not even a hint of them being there._ Damn you shadow hunters_, he thought,_ going everywhere without a sound or trace._ He walked here and there with no luck for 10 minutes until his calls were met with responses, although not from Alec, he recognised this voice, he would recognise it anywhere. He started running and calling out to her.

When he reached her she was in quite a state,

"They're gone Mags, I'm Sorry." Nixie shook with fear and before Magnus could respond she grabbed him by the arm and pulled him after her.

"Nixie," he stuttered running along behind her, "What do you mean?"

She didn't reply she just continued running.

"Nix, what's going on?" he said as she let go of his arm, they had entered one of the many warehouses.

"It was here." she said confused, "There was a blood deal that took place here, and the door was demon locked. It was Diantai, but the bloods gone, it was Sebastien's, then it all went black and when I woke up they were gone, Mags I'm so sorry…I'm so…"

"Woah, slow down what happened?" She explained slightly more composed whilst Magnus's face began to drain of colour.

"Diantai's working for Sebastien, I should have known." He said darkly, rage bubbling to the surface.

"They took Alec, I don't know where." She said touching his arm. At the sound of his lovers name his head shot up.

"Who?" he asked staring at her as if it were her fault, Nixie chose to ignore this as she understood he was worried and that it was nothing personal.

"I don't know, Diantai or Sebastien I guess. I told you everything went black, maybe one of her illusions." Her voice trailed off at the end.

"Didn't you see this coming?" Magnus snapped but Nixie chose to ignore this comment as she knew it was his worry talking. Realising his rudeness he turned away and slipped the lightwood ring off his finger.

"I can try and track him with this." He said turning back around and showing her the ring, she smiled,

"It's worth a shot."

* * *

Izzy's eyes opened quickly, the first thing she noticed was that she was in a dark room; the second was that she wasn't alone. Beside her a sedated Simon was slumped against a wall. She made to crawl over to him but found herself restricted by a chain attached to her wrist. Her eyes scanned the room; her eyes were now beginning to adjust to the low light level, she could now just make out two dark figures in the opposite corners of the apparently square room.

"Jace, Alec?" she called out, as reassuring as Simon's presence was it didn't match up to the safety her brothers brought her.

"Izzy?" it was Clary's voice that responded, Izzy felt a jolt of uneasiness, one of them wasn't here.

"Izzy?" she repeated "Jace is here across from me, but I think he is sedated or something. Izzy what do we do?" She sounded worried and then a thought struck Izzy, if Jace was unconscious she would have to take charge of the situation. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening and suddenly light flooded the chamber. Izzy felt her heart leap.

"Dad! Dad quick help us Jace is unconscious and Alec is missing, we need…" she was cut off by sharp laughter.

"My darling Isabelle, your brother is not missing, look up you stupid girl." Izzy throat constricted and she looked up, Alec was hanging from the ceiling. Thinking quickly her eyes shot to a now visible Jace. He, like Simon, was shirtless but to her relief his parabatai rune remained intact. Alec was alive. All was not lost. She looked back to her father, composing some strength in her voice.

"What is going on?"

"We are waiting." He said not looking at her, his gaze was fixed through the door behind him.

"What for?" she said trying not to let her composure slip as she saw Simon stir, _whatever was going on, she had to get them out of this._

"Company." Izzy gasped the voice was not Robert's but one chillingly familiar,

"Sebastien."

"Ah Isabelle, I was so hoping I'd get the chance to talk to you again, last time was so," he paused as if searching for the right word, "unpleasant."

"Why dad? Why are you siding with him?" she shouted "He killed Max, have you forgotten that."

Robert walked to her lifted her up by the collar of a shirt she had never seen before,

"We both know whose fault Max's death was, don't we?" he threw her back down, the chains rattled loudly, causing Simon to wake up.

"Izzy, what going on?" he struggled against the chains, before letting out a yell.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Daylighter, that metal is blessed," Robert said slight amusement in his voice. Simon looked down at his wrists; they were bound with a small amount of bandage which the metal lay against, but should it slip it would scorch his skin.

"Why are you doing this, were your children?" Izzy screamed all composure gone.

"No you're not, I have no children." With that Izzy started pulling at her chains again screaming, hoping anyone nearby would hear.

"Diantai? Knock her out." Izzy was quiet for a second as a figure emerged from the shadows and knelt by her side.

"Be quiet, it'll be better that way." Diantai said placing a hand to her forehead. Izzy wanted to scream, but found her self completely disorientated, her sight as gone and in its place was black smoke.

Simon looked over at Izzy, the strong female warrior he'd grown to love, reduced to a small helpless girl staring in to space.

"Can I see him now?" Diantai said in a small voice as she passed Sebastien.

"All in good time."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Sorry for not writing in so long I have been super busy with exams I just haven't had the time to write, I know this is only short but I have to fit this around more revision and another story I might be starting. You can see this chapter as the calm before the storm in away.**

**hopefully the next chapter should be up in the next few weeks I'll try not to leave it as long this time. Enjoy :)**

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Magnus was drawing a portal on the wall of a ware house; the ring had shown Alec to be in Idris. His hands shook as he worked so much so that Nixie had to take over; Magnus slumped against the wall at her feet.

"Magnus," she said once it was ready,

"Are you going to come?" he said jumping to his feet and brushing himself down.

"Of course, but Magnus we need a plan." She said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah and I have one, go in there and get Alec back." He said pushing against her arm.

"No Magnus stop and think, tell me what you're thinking."

His cat eyes turned dark and he shook her hand off with a little too much force so she looked taken a back.

"You wanna know, really," he said breathing deeply, Nixie nodded. "I think that's my fiancé through there, the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, I won't have that luxury so I have to settle for the rest of his life, and I don't want to miss any time." He took a deep breath. "And then I think of Diantai and how could she do this? I watched her grow from a baby. And now this."

"I know and that's why we need a plan, Diantai's proving to be unpredictable and Sebastien, from what I have heard…."

"Nixie, I don't have time, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't let him be harmed, when we got back together and again when I proposed, I won't let harm come to him."

"Magnus, he's not a mundane, he's far less breakable. He's a shadow hunter, and he's with his sister and brother, a vampire and Clary. He's not alone."

Magnus stared at her,

"Since when were you so calm and collected?" he smiled weakly staring in to the portal,

"I've grown up."

Magnus smiled of course she was right she had changed so much since she was little, now when he looked at her he saw a strong, independent, beautiful warlock who no longer needed her big sister, which was good, given the circumstances.

"Alright we need a plan, but Nixie if they have harmed him, or Clary or Izzy, any of them actually, I will kill them." He said staring at her as if waiting for her to reason, instead small smile formed on her lips.

"And I got your back."


End file.
